HR 7266 · Passed House · 07-13-26
Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act
What does the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act do?
HR 7266 is a House bill sponsored by Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA). Renews a federal program that helps rural, municipal, and small electric utilities defend their systems against cyberattacks. It gives the Secretary $250M over five years to hand out grants, technical assistance, and prizes to utilities that often lack their own cybersecurity resources. Reauthorizes the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program and authorizes $250M for it through 2030.
Did HR 7266 pass? Where it stands
As of July 17, 2026, HR 7266 has passed the House.
Status: Passed House
Latest vote: House Passed by voice vote on June 29, 2026
Outlook: Possible
Key provisions
- What the Utility Cybersecurity Program Does
- The Secretary awards grants, cooperative agreements, and prizes to eligible utilities
- Deploys cybersecurity technology and expands threat information sharing
- Provides technical assistance to protect, detect, respond to, and recover from cyber threats
- Who Is Eligible and Prioritized
- Covers rural co-ops, municipal utilities, and investor-owned utilities selling under 4,000,000 MWh/year
- Includes not-for-profits partnered with at least 6 qualifying utilities
- Priority for entities with limited cyber resources or bulk-power/defense-critical assets
- Funding and Information Protection
- Authorizes $250M for the program for fiscal years 2026 through 2030
- Information shared under the program is exempt from FOIA and state open-records laws
- Awards may be made on a competitive or noncompetitive basis
Last updated July 15, 2026